Automatic controlling means for fluid-pressure systems.



- PATENTED OOT. 30,1906. J. c. CHAMBERLAIN & A. T MARSHALL. AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING MEANS FOR-FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21.1906.

To all whom-it may eonc ernr' UNI ED sT TEs PATENT orrion.

' JACOB GHESTERCH MBERLAIN, OF'NEW YORK; AND ALBERT T.) MAR SHALL, OF NEW ROCHELLE, N EW YORK, ASSIGNORS. BY DIRECT AND MESNE" ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AUTOMATIC REERIGERATING- COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY. AUT OMATIC CONTROLLING Mm, FOR FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS.

Be it known that we, J AooB CHESTER CHAM- BERLAIN, residing in the city of New York, and ALBERT T. MARSHALL, residing at New Rochelle,-Westchester county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Controlling Means for Fluid-Pressure Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates, pri'marily, to auto matic controlling devices for fluid-pressure systems-for example, refrigerating systems,

either gas or liquid-and has for its. object to provide automatically acting controlhng means for protecting suchsystems from abnormal or dangerous'pressure. V

A further object of: he invention is to provide controllingmeans ofthe character mentioned. which shall not only protect a system from injury upon the occurrence of abnormal or dangerous conditions therein, but which shall also automatically restore the system to operation upon the subsidence or disap-- pearanoe of the abnormal or Idition.

f A further object of the invention consists Specification of Letters Patent.

' Applieation filed June 21,

dangerous con-- Patented-Oct. 30, 1906.

i905, SerialNo.266,368.

matically the systemto the normal or thermostatic' control. p A

These and other objects of the invention, with means by which same may be realized, are duly set forth in the following specification and the novel features thereof particu- .larly' pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawing we trated diagrammatically an embodiment of our invention as applied to a refrigerating system, tem as is necessary the invention. 4 I

.1 is a motor or other driving means for :drivinga pump 2 for causing circulation of therefrigerant. Connected to the pump is to an understanding of flows, it being understood that the refriger ant circulates through the refri eratmgchamber, (not shown,) is then coole and rehave illus- 7 showing only so much of such systhe conduit 3, through which said medium through mains 4. Included in the mains in the combination of the above-mentioned controlling means with the usual or normal controlling meansfor example,- in refrigerating systems the thermostatic controlling,

leading to the motor is a circuit-closer 5, which is operated by a solenoid 6, the solen-v oid being included in a circuit? in shunt to 3 the mains. Included in the circuit 7 isa remeans ,and also the provision of devices whereby the first controlling means may be operated in conjunction with-or independ ently of the normal thermostatic or other controlling devices, as desired.

A further object of the invention is to pro videmeans whereby systems of the above character may be automatically controlled by the normal thermostatic or other control ling devices as long as the pressure of the refrigerant or other fluid'me dium remains within predetermined limits, but upon-said pressure exceeding the predetermined limit and attaining a dangerous limit automatically to cutout the normal or the ostatic control and cause the system tobe controlled only by the means for preventing the occurrence of abnormal or dangerous pressure of the re:- frigerating' or other fluid medium and, fur-; ther, when the pressure has dropped to with- 'in the predeterminedlim'it to restore auto to and througha switch-10,'contact-piece 11,

blade12 of switch 12, to the contact H.

tact I-I is a thermostatarm 13, so that when through the blade l21of the switch 12 to and through the solenoid 6 and branch7 thereby fshort circuiting resistance 8..

closing of this circuit 9 at contact gize thesa'me and operate the circuit-closer 5, closing the main circuit '4. throughjthe 'in btor, thus starting the motor and pum .f

The-thermostat-arm 13 moves to contact '9 .Arrang'ed to make contact with the concontact is made at H circuit9 continues U on the FISOlGIlfioid 6 will receive sufficient current to ener- IOO and closes the circuit above described when the temperature in the refrigeratin -chamber rises be ond the proper limit. f after starting of t e motor, as above described, the temperature falls within the proper limit, circuit 9 will be opened at the contact H, but the motor will continue to operate, since the resistance at 8 1s so designed as to permit sufficient current upon the motor to circulate through the solenoid 6 to hold the circuit-closer-5 closed. If, however, the temperature in the refrigerating-chamber should fall below the limit desired, thermostat-arm 13 will move over to contact C. -A circuit will then be established from the mains throu h resistance 8, branch 9, switch-blade 12", t ermostat-arm 13, contact C, connections 15 16, back to the mains. It will be seen that upon closing this circuit solenoid 6 is short-circuited and denergized, whereupon the circuit through the motor is opened by the opening of circuit-closer 5. The motor is therefore stopped,- stopping the supply of refrigerating medium to the refrigeratingchamber until the temperature in the said chamber rises within the proper limit, whereand pump will again be started automatically by the action of thermostat-arm 13, closing the motor-circuit by cutting out resistance 8 andenergizing solenoid 6, as before described.

In connection with the above-described system we employ an automatic device for cutting out or stopping the motor when the pressure in the circulatingconduit 3 rises above a predetermined limit. It sometimes happens that owing to a diminution or stop- 9 page of the water-supply for cooling and conmostatic control when the densing the refrigerant a dangerous pressure may arise in the circulating-conduit. This dangerous pressure is likely to rise so high as to cause serious injury to the system. Furthermore the rise 1n pressure causes a rise in temperature, and in systems subject to thermostatic control the rise in temperature causes the pump to operate, and thereby the already-increased pressure is further increased and rapidly reaches a dangerous point. To prevent such a result, we automatically-operated device for cutting out the thermostatic control of the system and also for stopping the motor when such dangerous conditions arise. Said automatic device also acts automatically to restore the system to its normal operation and to therdangerous pressure in the circulating-conduit subsides or ceases. This device comprises a switch 10,

which is responsive tothe pressure in the circuIating-conduit. Said switch is pivotall mounted at 17 and has connection throng the-rod 18 with the pressure-tube or equivalent device 19 of a pressure-gage inserted in the conduit ,Suitahle adjusting-screws 20 are provided, so that the throw of the switch material 10 and 10 in the refrigerating-chamber.

therewith while the have provided an I eaasvo 10 maybe properly adjusted; The body of switch 10 is made of insulating material and is provided with two blades of conducting the plate 10 being arranged to make contact with the contactpiece 11, as before described, and the plate 10 arranged to make contact with a contact- ,piece 21. Contact-piece 11 is of such extent that blade 10 will remain in contactpressure in circulatingconduit 3 is within certain limitssay from zero to one hundred and eighty pounds. Contact-piece 21 is arranged at such distance from contact 11 that blade 10 will make contact therewith when the pressure in the circulating-conduit has reached a dangerous limitsay two hundred and thirty pounds. The space between the contact-pieces 11 and 21 is such that blade 10 will pass off contact 11 before blade 10 makes contact with contact 21. Contact 21 is electrically connected through connections 22 and 16 with the connection 7, and the switch-plate 10 is electrically connected through connection 23 to the circuit 9, as shown.

The action of this device is as follows: suming that the system is operating normally, with the thermostat-arm 13 in neutral position and the resistance 8 and solenoid 6 in series with the circuit closer 5 held inclosed position, as above described, upon an increase of pressure in the circulat1ngconduit 3 beyond the predetermined limit say one hundred and eighty pounds-switch 10 will be moved by the pressure device 19 to carry its blade 10 awa from the contactplate 11, thus opening the circuit 9 through the thermostat-arm 13 at this point and cutting out the thermostatic control of the system, except that if the motor be at the moment in o eration a dro in temperature will cause t e stoppage of t e motor, the current in that event going through the path 8, 9, 12*, B, 13, C, 15, 16, and 7. Upon the pressure continuing to rise and reaching a dangerous limit switch 10 will be moved to make contact with contact 212. This shortcircuits solenoid 6, the current flowing through resistance 8, connection 9, connection 23, switch-blade 10*, contact 21, electromagnet 27, (if such an electromagnet is used, as hereinafter described,) connections 22, 16, 7, to the negative side of the mains. The solenoid 6 heingthus d'eenergized, circuit-closer '5 opens and the motor is stopped.

Upon the resumption of the proper supply of water to the refrigerating-chamber the pressine in conduit 3 returns to normal, and switch 10 is returnedto make contact with contact 11', whereupon the system is restored to control of the thermostat-arm 13;

The system may he operated independently of the thermostatic controlling means by throwin switch 12 on to contact 25, as shown in otted lines. throws in a IIO I may also close at 31 ing a battery 33 and bell 34, adapted to give 5 dle position, both controlling devices are cut out, except that if the motor be at the moment in operation it will be stopped by the pressure-controller if the pressure reaches two hundred and thirty pounds. When thrown controlling devices and when thrown to the left by the pressure sensitive device only. In the last-mentioned position the temperature of refrigeration may be controlled by an ordinary hand-operated switch for throwing the motor in or out of circuit or by moving switch 12 itself between its left-hand and central positions.

We may arrange to give visual or audible signal of the occurrence of abnormal pressure in the circulating system:- For example, we may arrange in the branch circuit 22 means controlled by the ener 'zing ofthat circuit for ringing one or more ells placed at desired positions. 1 As shown in the present illustratlve diagram, this alarm mechanism has the coils of an electromagnet 27 of low resistance, lower than that of solenoid 6, included in circuit 22 and controlling a spring retracted armature 28, bearing the hammer 29 of a gong 30, adapted to give a single blow for each-closure of the circuit at 10 21. This gong may be located'adjacentto the refriger ating-chamber to give notice to the attendant in charge 'of the chan ed condition of pressure. The rising of t e armature 28 alocal circuit 32, includa signal whose duration is coextensive with the existence ofabnormal pressure. This continuous-alarm bell, as well as the gong, may be placed, if desired, at some place re- ,mote from the refrigerating-chamber to give at such point notice of the resence of abnormal' pressure. Either of t esealarm devices may be used to the exclusion of the other, or they may, as shown, be employed-together.

We have described our .invention as ap- I plied to refrigerating systems of the charac- 5 Sue ter describe description, however,

is merely byway of illustration and not a limitation.

Having thus described our invention, the

. following is what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. .In asystem. of the character described,

the combination of a fluid-circulating conduit, a pump fo circulating fluid therein, aui tomatic. meansesponsive-to conditions exte-.

rior to the conduit f controlling the operation of said pump under normal conditions in the fluid-circulating conduit, means responsive to the pressure in the conduit for stopping the pump under abnormal condi- 6 5 tions of pressure and for restoring the conto the right, the system is-controlled by both in the conduit exceeding trol of the pump to the normal controlling means on return of pressure in the conduit to normal.

'. 2. In a system of the character described, the combination of a pum for circulating a refrigerant, a conduit for tl ie refrigerant connected to the pump, means for controlling the operation of the pump to maintain the refrigerating temperature substantially constant, and means responsive to pressure in the conduit automatically to throw the pump out of operation when said pressure exceeds-a predetermined limit and automatically to throw the pump-controlling means ,into operative condition when'said pressure returns to a predetermined limit.

3. In asystem ofthe character described,"

the combination with means to circulate a refrigerating medium, and a device respon- 'sive to temperature for automatically throwing into and out of operation the said circulating means upon increase or decrease of temperature in the refrigerating-chamber beyond a predetermined limit, of a device responsive-to the ,pressure of the refrigerating medium for throwing the circulating means out of operation when the pressure of the refrigerating medium exceeds a predetermined limit nd automatically restoring the normal contr l ofthe circulatin means when said pressure returns to a' pre etermined'limit.

4. In a system of the character'described, the combination of a'pump, a refrigeratingconduit connected to the pump, means responsive to the. refrigerating temperature for controlling the operation of the pump, means responsive to the'pressure in the refrigerating-conduit for controlling the operation of the pump, and means for causing the pressureresponsive-controlling means to \coact' with; the temperature 5( Ina system of the'character described, the combination of means to circulate a refrige'rant, means responsive to the refrigerating temperature for controlling the. circulating means, and means responsive to the pressure of the refrigerant for controlling the circulating means, and means for causing the pressure-responsive means 'to (coact with the responsive controlling -means or to operate independently thereof as desired.

temperature-responsive means or to act independently-thereof.

6. In a system of the character described, the combination of a conduit for a refrigerant,meansto clrculate the refrigerant through the conduit, means responsive to the refrigerating temperature automatically to control the operation of the circulating means, means responsive .to the pressure in the conduit to control the operation of the circulating means,

and means for automatically throwing the temperature responsive controlling means out of operative condition upon the pressure a predetermined pump for circulating a refrigerant, a motor for driving the pump, an

electromagnet controlling the motor-circuit, a device responsive tothe refrigerating tem perature, and a device responsive to the pressure of the refrigerant each of said devices controlling the operation of the electromagnet to cause the same to open and close the motor-circuit upon the temperature or pressure departing from predetermined limits.

8. In'a system of the character described, the combination of a motor for causing circulation of a refrigerant, an electromagnet for controlling the motor-circuit, a device responsive to the refrigerating temperature, and a device responsive to the pressure of the refrigerant each of said devices controlling the operation of the electromagnet to open and close the motor-circuit, the control of the temperature-responsive device being dependent upon the pressure-responsive device.

9.- In a system of the character described, the combination of a motor for causing circulation of a refrigerant, an electromagnet for opening and closing the motor-circuit, a device responsive to the refrigerating temperature and a device responsive to the pressure of the refrigerant, each of said devices automatically controlling the operation" of the clectromagnet, and means for throwing the temperature-responsive device out of action without affecting the controlling action of the pressure-responsive device.

10. In a system of the character described, the combination of a motor for causing circulation of a refrigerant, an electromagnet for opening and closing the motor-circuit, a device responsive to the pressure of the refrigerant controlling the operation of the electromagnet, a device responsive to the refrigerating temperature for controlling the operation of the electromagnet, said temperatureresponsive device controlled by the pressureresponsive device whereby the temperatureresponsive device is automatically thrown out of operation upon the said pressure excoeding a predetermined limit and restored to operation when the said pressure falls to a predetermined limit.

11. In a system of the character described, the combination of conduit for a refrigerant, a motor and pump ior circulating a refrigerant in said cond it, an electromagnet for opening and closing the motor-circuit, a resistanee controlling theoperation of said magnet, a device responsive to the pressure of the refrigerant in said conduit, and controlling the circuit of the said resistance and magnet, and connections for short-circuiting the resistance when the said pressure is within a predetermined limit and short-circuiting the magnet when the said pressure reaches a point above said limit.

12.- In a system of the character described, the combination of a fluid-pressure circuit, an electric circuit including an electricmotor for causing t e circulation of fluid in said fluid-pressure ircuit, a motor-controlling e11- cuit,means responsive-to changes of pressure in said fluid-pressure circuit tostop the operation of said motor, a local circuit includin a signaling device, and a controlling device for said local circuit responsive to the condition of the motor-controlling circuit.

JACOB CHESTER CHAMBERLAIN. ALBERT T. MARSHALL. Witnesses:

HARRY E. KNIGHT, ELLEN HoUeH. 

